Various types of movable industrial equipment travel along rails mounted on a supporting foundation. Typical of this type of equipment are cranes which may be supported on rails mounted on overhead beams or on rails mounted on a foundation floor or sole plate. The rails are usually secured to the foundation by a series of anchors and clips at regular intervals along the length of the rail. A common type of anchor includes a threaded stud fastened to the foundation perpendicular to its surface and near the foot of the rail. A steel clip fits on the anchor against the foundation and overlaps the foot of the rail. A washer is placed over the stud and against the clip and a nut is threaded on the stud against the washer and clip to sandwich the rail foot between the clip and the foundation. Alternatively, a hole may be threaded in the foundation and a bolt may be inserted through the clip and threaded into the hole to fasten the clip against the rail and secure the rail to the foundation.
A well known clip design comprises a rectangular block of steel having a length in a direction laterally of the length of the rail that is somewhat longer than a width parallel to the length of the rail. The clip has a slot-shaped through opening that is centered in the long direction of the clip, i.e. in a direction laterally of the rail length. A portion of the bottom of the clip is tapered to accommodate the upward slant of the rail foot. Most rail systems for industrial equipment being currently installed utilize 60 pound per yard rail stock. The clips typically used in these systems have slotted openings that allow the anchor stud to be placed almost directly against the edge of the foot of the rail.
In recent design improvements, rail clips of a "rubber nosed" type have been developed and used in combination with rubber pads placed under the entire rail. Use of rubber nosed clips together with rubber pads provides a combination fastening/foundation system that is flexible vertically and absorbs vibration that places high stress on anchors.
Currently used rubber nosed rail clips require a minimum spacing between the anchor stud or bolt and the foot of the rail ranging approximately from 1/2" to 1". Also, rubber nosed rail clips often have a greater height than the relatively standard type older steel clips due to the addition of the rubber material in the nose of the clip. The additional height and the increased spacing between the anchor and the foot of the rail required by rubber nosed rail clips presents particularly difficult problems when rail installations are being renovated and it is desired to convert the rail securement devices from the older steel clips to a rubber nosed type clip. These problems include the removal and replacement of the anchors at a greater distance from the foot of the rail, and the installation of longer anchors to fasten greater height clips and also to accommodate increased rail height due to the addition of a rubber pad beneath the rail. In addition, increasing the anchor and clip heights may obstruct the moving of the equipment wheels on the rails so that rubber nosed clips cannot actually be used.
The applicants' invention is an improvement over presently known rail securement clips having the drawbacks described above.